Washing-machine



(No Model.)

W. SWEET. WASHING MACHINE.

Patented May 30, 1898.

ATTUR NEY Nouns Firms cm. Pumou UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

WARREN SWEET, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,324, dated May 30,1893.

Application filed December 22, 1892. Serial No. 456.011. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN SWEET, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen, in the Stateof Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWashing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to washing machines in which the clothes are washedby movement, agitation and rubbing, and its objectsare to provide animproved oscillating device for the dasher or rubber: an improved rubberand the combination of a rocking or swinging motion of the suds box withan oscillated rubber or dasher within the same. And the inventionconsists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, pointed out in the appended claims and illlustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a side view of the washingmachine with one side removed to show the interior mechanism. Fig. 2, isa cross section of Fig. 1. taken on a central line. Fig. 3, is a planview of the washing machine, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged view-of the topof the metal cap of the post. Fig. is a plan View of the wheel havingthe square spokes.

Referring to the drawings by numerals the construction is as follows:The suds box 7 is preferably a rectangular box in horizontal section andis provided with a flat top and lid, and with a circular bottom. Iprefer to make the bottom part of galvanized iron, and secure it to thesides by turning up the edges of the galvanized iron sheet 9 for aboutone eighth of an inch at right angles to the sheet and force the turnedup edges into the edge of the wooden side boards 8 by means of ironstrips 10 drawn over the parts with bolt and screw nut 11. For thepurpose, I

turn the ends 12 of the iron strips 10 out-- ward and make suitableholes in them, through which bolts 11 are passed. Thesebolts areextended up through the cover of the suds box, preferably through holesin projections 13 of the sides and the straps 10 are drawn taut by nutson the bolts 11. This construction makes an economical bottom, withWater tight connections and avoids the use of tacks or nails, whichfrequently become loose. The ends of this galvanized iron sheet 9 areattached to the end boards 14, and one of the end boards 14 projectsabove the cover to afford means for the attachment of a wringer.

The cover is provided with a lip 15 on which rack bar 22 is guided,operated and held in engagement with the pinion 20. One end of the rackbar 22 is pivotally attached to a rod 23 held transversely over the sudsbox 7 at a given distance from the standards by two arms 24 attachedpivotally to the standards 25. Such pivotal connection and support ofthe transverse rod 23, permit a change of distance between the rod andpinion without affecting the line of motion of the rack bar: for whenthe rod is raised or lowered from a horizontal line, the ends of thearms move on their pivots. The lid is hinged to the top on the same sideon which the transverse rod is placed just inside of the rod, so thatwhen the lid is thrown back it passes over and down on the rod, therebylocking the suds box in hori zontal ,7 position. The operating shaft 19is provided with a groove 26, and a post or block 27 is provided with anorifice adapted to admit loosely the operating shaft. On the top of thepost or block 27 an iron plate 28 provided with an orifice of likediameter and with a projection 29 adapted to engage and move in thegroove 26 of said shaft 19, is attached, by means of which the post isrevolved and permitted to move up and down in said shaft. Any othermeans for such purpose may be used such for example as a square shaftbelow the bearings with a square hole in said plate, as I do not confinemyself to that particular construction shown.

I use any suitable rubber, and prefer rubber 30 preferably in the formof a wheel having a hub and fellies with square spokes connecting them.This rubber 30 is attached to the post or block 27 and is operated byit.

The operation is as follows: The suds box being supplied with hot Waterand clothes to be washed, the lid carrying the rubber, an oscillatingdevice attached is shut down, and the rubber presses with its weight andthe weight of the post upon the clothing. The suds box is thenoscillated by its handle on its pivotal bearings, and as the box swingsbetween the standards, the relative positions of the rod and the pinionare thereby changed and the rack bar forced forward and backward,operating the pinion and with it the rubher. The water and clothing arethus forced from one end of the suds box to the other, and theoscillation of the rubber rubs the clothing and also more or lesschanges its position in-the suds box so that all parts are subjected tothe dilferent flowings of the water and to the action of the rubber. Ihave thus combined the action of a rocker washer, an oscillating dasheror peg washer and a rubbing device in one machine, avoiding the tearingaction of the peg machine, and the heavy rubbing of the rubber washer.And I produce more dashings or changes in the currents of the water thanin the rocker Washer, thereby subjecting the clothes more fully to theaction of the water.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a washing machine the combination I of a suds box, provided with alid hinged thereto, mounted between the standards of a supporting frameand adapted to be oscillated; with an operating shaft for a rubbermounted vertically in a frame attached to the lid; a pinion mounted onsaid operating shaft; a transverse rod provided with arms pivotallyattached to the standards and placed just beyond the hinges of the lid,whereby when the lid is thrown back, the transverse rod is held fixedlyin place thereby locking the suds box in a horizontal position; a rackbar ongaging said pinion with one end pivotally attached to saidtransverse rod and mounted in guides in a frame attached to the lid; anda rubber within the suds box attached to said operating shaft.

2. In a Washing machine, the combination of a suds box provided with alid and mounted between the standards of 'a supporting frame and adaptedto be oscillated: with a rubber or dasher placed within the suds box:and an oscillating device consisting of a pinion attached to a shaft anda movable rack bar engaging said pinion and connected to the standard bya rod provided with arms, the device being mounted in a frame attachedto the lid of the suds box.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 19th day of December, 1892.

WARREN SWEET.

Vitnesses:

H. O. HARTMAN, EMMET MCNALLY.

